Apple’s new music service could be an epic flop because of this one major issue

Apple finally unveiled its new streaming music service on Monday.
The presentation was unfortunately sloppy, and the actual
service looks unfocused, too. And there's another issue that
makes me worried: Apple didn't explain why this product deserves
to exist.

You might think, "Apple doesn't need to explain itself here — it
made the iPod and the iTunes Store, clearly the company cares
about music!" But that doesn't explain why Apple Music is a
three-pronged service: It's a streaming music platform, a 24/7
global radio station, and a social platform that lets artists
post random stuff like photos and song lyrics, which you can then
like or comment on. People certainly love streaming music
services, but why radio? And why another music social network?
Apple didn't answer or even address these questions.

And that leads to the biggest issue with Apple Music right now:
Two of its three "features" are either reminiscent of, or
nearly identical to, past Apple projects that ultimately
failed."Connect" is
extremely similar to iTunes
Ping, Apple's defunct social network for music artists that
debuted in 2010 and died two years later; and the new 24/7 radio
station, Beats 1, is similar to iTunes
Radio, Apple's ad-supported radio service introduced in 2013
that let you skip tracks and customize stations like Pandora. The
only difference with this new "radio" experience is that it's
curated by human DJs, not computers, and those DJs will read
aloud sponsored ads like NPR does instead of playing an
interstitial ad between songs.

So, to sum it all up: Apple
Music is the combination of two flopped music projects, plus the
ability to stream titles from the iTunes Store. And that, to me,
doesn't seem revolutionary, or even all that desirable.

The existence of Apple Music
feels forced. Though I've yet to try Apple's new
service, Spotify Premium is probably a better option for
your money,
in my opinion: It's built in a way that makes you feel
as though the company truly cares about a quality music
experience. Apple's new service, meanwhile, looks like a
hodgepodge of other music services out there, an attempt to catch
up with others' features, but with no real identity of its
own.

Apple Music costs $10 a month for individuals, and $15
a month for families up to six people.Apple

Apple has misfired in the past, and this feels like one of those
rare instances: It feels like Apple's desire to become the king
of music services again clouded the company's judgment and focus
with this particular project.

The good news for Apple?
There's still time. Apple Music doesn't officially launch until
June 30, so the company can still tighten up its marketing plans
for this new service. And it's also a first-generation product,
so it's bound to improve over time as Apple grows and prunes the
features. But I'm still not convinced that Connect and the 24/7
radio station will be enough incentive for people to leave
Spotify for Apple Music. It might be okay for casual listeners
who've yet to try anything like Spotify, but at this point, I
highly doubt I'd extend my free trial once it's over.